WO1999000024A1 - Automatic machine for dispensing natural juices - Google Patents

Abstract

Automatic machine intended to dispense natural juices, comprised of a functional assembly consisting of a supply system with unit dosing of the fruit (7) from a supply hopper, and also provided with a pressing system comprised of a chopping-cutting mechanism (19); the presser-squeezer itself being formed by a rotary head included in a collector (25); the assembly comprises a residue removal system with a crusher (30) and an expulsion outlet (33); there is also an automatic cleaning system consisting of a water distribution system (36) with projection outlets at various points.

Description

 "AUTOMATIC JUICE SUPPLY MACHINE

NATURAL "Because of its quality and appetite as a soft drink, fruit juices are products of great consumption, with an incessantly growing demand, highlighting in this sense the juices of natural type and in particular those of squeezed fruits, such as orange, lemon, grapefruit , etc., due to the vitamin properties they offer.

However, due to the rapid degradation that some qualities of the aforementioned juices suffer, it is convenient to prepare them just at the moment when they will be consumed, for the effective use of all properties.

For the realization of the squeeze oriented to the production of juices, a variety of manual or semi-manual utensils with electrical operation have been developed, having reached a greater evolution to the realization of machines under a concept of automatism, for obtaining the juices by means of a simple demand drive, without the need for intervention, would operate for processing.

The machines developed in this sense, however, suffer from defects and inconveniences, related to excessive functional complexity, impacting on costs and breakdowns, and even in the quality of the product, with the aggravating factor in some cases of a bad treatment of the fruits , which causes some qualities, such as taste, color, etc., to be affected.

In general, the aforementioned machines also require manual cleaning, since, or they do not have automatic cleaning, or this is defective and insufficient, so that in the face of the nuisance and laboriousness of cleaning in each use, a thorough cleaning only It is carried out at times, while working machines with accumulated remains in them, which obviously affects the quality of the product produced.

Considering all these inconveniences and the convenience of eliminating them, in accordance with the present invention, a new automatic juice-supplying machine is proposed based on fruit squeezing, which has been developed according to constructive and functional characteristics that make it operatively very advantageous in relation to with existing machines and utensils so far for this function.

This machine object of the invention basically consists of a set of mechanisms that are included in a refrigerated environment within a housing or housing, comprising an automatic cleaning system, formed by a water pressure circuit that flows into localized projection injectors. in each and every functional part of the product treatment. The functional set includes a feeding system, formed by a loading hopper and a unit dosage separator of the fruits, a juicer system, formed by a cutter of the fruit into pieces and a juice extractor, a waste disposal system, formed by a shredder and an ejection outlet with hydropneumatic injection, and the integrated cleaning system, all of which is controlled by programmable electronic equipment.

In this way a set of simple constructive and functional realization is obtained, capable of developing by itself the whole process of elaboration and supply of juices, from a majority load of fruits in the feeding hopper, eliminating the resulting residues of each operation, and with realization every time of a total cleaning of all the parts contactantes with the product, avoiding completely that residues of other previous processes can affect in any case to the juice in elaboration.

Since the functional set is included in a refrigerated environment within a closed housing housing, the juices that the machine supplies are also directly cold, in optimal conditions for consumption, without having to thermally adapt them with ice or other means of cooling and in any case without having to add preservatives to the product, because it is supplied directly for consumption after processing. The integrated machine assembly, with the aforementioned functional set included and closed inside a housing housing, on the other hand allows an arrangement connected to a water supply network and a drain pipe, but also an arrangement to operate autonomously, including inside the enclosure of the housing a water tank and a waste collection container; which allows the possibility of installation of the machine in any place, even as a self-service machine, without the need for adaptation works for it.

Therefore, this machine which is the object of the invention certainly results in very advantageous characteristics, which give it a life of its own and a preferred character with respect to the devices used so far for the same juice-making function based on squeeze fruits.

Figure 1 represents an external perspective of the recommended machine, according to a non-limiting example of the corresponding housing. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the system of feeding the fruits to be squeezed into the functional set. Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 2. Figures 4 and 5 represent a sequence of the process of separation and unit dosage of the fruits, in successive phases.

Figure 6 is a schematic perspective of the functional part corresponding to the juicer itself. Figures 7 to 10 represent a sequence of the functional process of the juicer, in four successive phases.

Figure 11 is a schematic representation of the juicer assembly and the ejection outlet of the waste towards the crusher.

Figure 12 is a general schematic perspective of the juicer, with the exit of expulsion of the residues and the conduction of the juice until the glass of supply.

Figure 13 is a scheme of the waste disposal system.

Figure 14 is a schematic representation of the functional assembly with the automatic cleaning system.

The object of the invention relates to a machine intended for the realization and supply of juices of squeeze fruits, such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, etc., through a fully automatic operation, without intervention would operate nothing more than to load The fruits to squeeze.

Said machine is constituted by a functional assembly that is included within a housing housing (1), which can be of any form and configuration, being provided, without being limited, an embodiment for self-service, such as for example in the form which represents figure 1, with an outlet (2) supplying glasses (3) with the corresponding juice, there being a panel (4) for introducing coins and selecting different types of juices, for example with sugar, without sugar, etc. I also know foresees the existence of a transparent window (5) to be able to observe from outside the functional process of the squeezed.

The functional set comprises a series of parts constituting partial systems of the functional process, including a feeding system, a squeezing system, a waste disposal system and an automatic cleaning system.

The feeding system is formed by a hopper (6), which can have a variable capacity, for example between 10 and 100 kg., In which the fruits (7) destined to be squeezed are loaded, which in turn they can be of any size, since this does not affect the functional process of the machine.

Said hopper (6) can be freely open at the top, or have a cover or closing hatch, it being provided that at the front it has at least one transparent sight glass (8) to be able to observe the load level.

As bottom bottom said hopper (6) also has a plate (10) inclined, tiltable and subjected to vibration to be supported on a vibrator (11), constituting an agitator that allows to move the fruits (7) so that they leave properly to the drag (18), so that no damaged or rotten fruit (7) can remain at the base of the hopper (6).

Said outlet of the hopper (6) incorporates a gate (12) of guillotine that retains the oranges above the base (10). Said gate slides on guides (130) under the action of the spring (14). Conjugated with this gate (12) an electromagnet (15) is arranged. When in the ramp (16) there is no presence of fruits (7) and this is detected by the photocell (17), it gives the order to the electromagnet (15), which when activated makes protruding its axis, the vibrator (11) and the upward drag (18) so that they are activated, which causes this dragger (18) to slide downwards to the position of the drawing - Figure 4-. at the same time that the vibrator (11) causes vibrations and produces with easy sliding on the base (10) of the fruit (7). On the descent of the drag (18) it snaps with the axis of the electromagnet (15) dragging it and with it to the gate (12) that releases the fruits (7).

At that time the fruits (7) that are raised to the upper inclined ramp (16) are deposited on the trawler (18). All this is produced by the force of the motor (190) that acts by means of the levers (200) to whose head the dragger (18) is fixed and which transmits said force in an ascending and descending direction using the sliding bars (210) as guides. .

The fruit (7), once deposited on the ramp (16) descends to the dispenser (220) under electronic-electrical control.

In said dispenser, the fruit (7) remains stagnant by the plate (230) until the electronic system of the machine does not give the order to be activated to the electromagnet (240) with which the electromagnet (240) raises the platform (250) that expels the fruit (7) through the ramp (260) - Figures 5 and 6- allowing the introduction of the fruit (7) into the juicer and the termination of the product dosing sequence (7).

The mechanism of the juicer consists of an annular body (19), provided internally with a series of radial blades (20), protrusions (21) protruding superiorly in the peripheral part, which serve as retention stops to hold on the blades ( 20) to the fruit (7) supplied each time from the ramp (260) of the dispenser (220). Above said body (19) a pusher (22) is located, whose exterior coincides with the internal diameter of the body (19), also having radial grooves (23) that coincide in positioning and dimension with the blades (20). Said pusher (22) is operable in vertical displacement by an actuator cylinder (24), so that in the descent it is included by the interior of the body (19) or by any other conventional means such as, for example, a motor and a system of levers.

Below the body (19) is located a manifold (25), in which the squeezing head (26), freely rotatable, axially operable by a motor (27) is axially incorporated; determining the collector (25) a cavity for collecting the juice and the remains from the squeeze, with a lower outlet (28) for the evacuation of the juice, while laterally a duct (29) comes out, which will end in a crusher (30).

Thus, when the fruit (7) to be squeezed is placed on the blades (20) of the body (19), as shown in Figure 7, the pusher (22) descends forcing the fruit (7) to pass through The blades (20), as shown in Figure 8, whereby the fruit (7) is cut into as many pieces as blades (20) have the body (19).

At the same time that the cutting of the fruit (7) takes place when it is pushed down, the engine (27) starts to operate, the latter turning the squeezer head (26) with a slow speed appropriate for the squeezing , which causes the pulp of the pieces of the fruit (7) to be undone, separating the juice, which passes through a filter medium to fall through the outlet (28), as shown in Figure 9. Once the squeeze is done , the pusher (22) returns again to the upper position, as shown in Figure 10, the resulting residues remaining above the filter medium, so that by activating then the motor (27) at a fast speed, the rotation that the head (26) acquires at that speed causes said waste to be expelled by the centrifugal force, leaving the lateral duct (29) towards the crusher (30). The filtered juice falls on its part through the outlet (28) to a collector (31), from which it is discharged onto the supply vessel (3).

The position of the glass (3) arranged to receive the juice from the squeezed, is placed on a spill collector (32), which is communicated with the trituter (30), so that the possible spills of the juice or juice that fall out of the glass (3), they will stop the crusher (30).

In any case, in order to avoid useless overflows, the filling of the vessel (3) to the desired level is expected to be controlled by a photoelectric cell, so that reaching the expected level automatically stops the squeeze cycles, stopping the feeding of the fruits (7) by the dispenser (13).

The residues from the squeezes are shredded into the crusher (30) forming a semi-liquid mass that passes to a discharge tube (33), in which said mass is introduced by the action of the agitation caused by the apparatus in its operation and by the action of gravity, so that at a given moment a valve (34) located at the outlet of the crusher (30) blocks the passage, while a projection (35) is injected into said tube (33) of water and pressurized air, resulting in the residual mass existing in said tube (33) being propelled along it towards a corresponding outlet.

The functional set of the machine also includes an automatic cleaning system, consisting of a distribution network (36) of pressurized water, which through a series of injectors (37) allows the projection of water at certain points in the squeezing area and the channel (29) for the expulsion of waste.

This cleaning system comes into operation at the end of the process of realization of each juice according to the established programming, so that after each functional sequence the machine is completely free of waste and clean all the parts with which the product comes into contact, thus achieving absolute hygienic conditions and a perfect quality of the juices provided, without in any way these being affected by remains or dirt from other previous elaborations.

The collector (31) for discharging the juice or juice into the supply vessel (3) is provided with the possibility of being placed in two positions, for example by means of an actuator cylinder (38), so that in the phase of juice production is located with the outlet (39) to discharge onto the glasses (3), while in the cleaning phase it is left with outlet (40) to an evacuation duct to the crusher (30), so that the fluids of cleaning go directly to it.

All the aforementioned functional set of the machine is provided to operate automatically, being established for this purpose related to a programmable electronic equipment that controls the operation, giving rise to the successive realization of the different operational phases of fruit feeding (7), the squeezing and cleaning, according to the schedule that is established, without any need for intervention would operate, which is only required to load the hopper (6) with the fruits (7) intended to squeeze.

With all this the machine can be installed in connection of the network (36) to a water supply outlet, and where appropriate the discharge pipe (33) in connection to a drainage network. But similarly, without altering the concept or operation of the machine assembly, the network (36) can be fed by means of a booster pump (41) from a water tank (42) located inside the housing itself (1); It may also include within the same housing (1) a waste collection container (43), to which the tube (33) ends; whereby the machine is susceptible to autonomous operation, being able to be installed directly anywhere, without the need for adaptation works for it, even if there is no water outlet or drain. The functional set of the machine is also provided included inside the housing (1) in a refrigerated environment, which facilitates the preservation of the fruits (7) in the hopper (6), at the same time that the juices that are supplied leave fresh, in adequate conditions for direct consumption, without having to be cooled by other means. In figure 12 instead of an actuator cylinder (38) that causes the movement of rotation of the collector (31) it can be arranged that said collector (31) is fixed but with two conduits that will end in the vessel (3) or in the crusher (30) respectively, having means, for example, an electromagnet to seal or open / close one of the ducts.

Claims

1.- Automatic machine for the supply of natural juices, characterized in that it is constituted by a functional set comprising a system for feeding the fruits (7) to be squeezed, with unit dosage of -them from a loading hopper (6) , a juicer system, formed by a chopping mechanism and the juicer itself, a waste disposal system, with a shredder (30) and an ejection outlet (33), and an automatic cleaning system, formed by a net ( 36) water distribution, with projection output at different points in the areas where the product contacts. 2. Automatic machine for the supply of natural juices, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the feeding system consists in that: a) in the hopper (6) it has as a bottom bottom an inclined plate (10), which is supported by a vibrator ( 11) so that no fruit can be retained in the hopper, with a guillotine gate (12) commanded by an electromagnet (15); b) an upward / downward drag (18) that takes the fruits (7) that leave the guillotine gate (12) and takes them to an upper ramp (16) inclined so that the fruits descend ac) a dispenser (220 ) under electric-electronic control where the fruit (7) remains until its release is ordered to pass to the juicer system. 3. Automatic machine for the supply of natural juices, according to claim one, characterized in that the fruit slicing mechanism (7) in the juicer system consists of an annular body (19), provided internally with radial blades (20), above which is situated a vertically movable pusher (22), capable of pushing the fruits (7) through the blades (20) for cutting, while below is the juicer head (26), rotatably driven by a motor (27) of two speeds, that acts at the same time that each fruit (7) descends forced by the pusher (22). 4. Automatic machine for the supply of natural juices, according to first and third claims, characterized in that from the side of the collector (25) on which the juicer head (26) is incorporated, a duct (29) comes out, through which they are expelled by centrifugal force the remains of the product (7) squeezed, for its conduction to the crusher (30). 5. Automatic machine for the supply of natural juices, according to claim one, characterized in that the outlet (33) for the expulsion of waste has a shutter valve (34) and a water and air pressure projector (35) for dragging of the waste to the evacuation exit. 6. Automatic machine for the supply of natural juices, according to claim one, characterized in that the cleaning network (36) can be connected to an external water supply outlet, or fed by means of a pump (41) from an autonomous tank ( 42) included in the machine itself. 7. Automatic machine for the supply of natural juices, according to claims one and five, characterized in that the outlet (33) for the expulsion of the waste can be connected to an external drainage network, or flow into a container (43) for collecting waste included in the machine itself. 8.- Automatic machine for supplying natural juices, according to claim one, characterized in that the entire functional set It is included in a housing (1), in whose enclosure a refrigerated environment is established that favors the preservation of the fruits (7) and allows the supply of cold juices, in conditions of adequate temperature for consumption.